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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l;

W. W. REID.

Table Tray and Meal Server.

No. 238,526. Patented March 8,1881.

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L e V r e S 1 Da I6 EM d D W y m T e 1 10 a T No. 238,526. PatentedMarch 8, I881.

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N.PETRS. PHOTD-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WALTER W. REID, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TABLE-TRAY AND M EAL-SERVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,526, dated March 8,1881.

Application filed August 4, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER WILLIAMSON REID, acitizen of the United States, resident at Baltimore, in the county ofBaltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Table-Trays and Meal-Servers; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for serving meals at table; and itconsists in the improved features of construction and combinationhereinafter fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claim.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the improvements in myinvention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of thesame. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a modification.

The device is intended for family and hotel use, for placing a mealbefore the individual member of the family or the guest for whom it isintended.

In carrying out my invention I construct in wood, sheet metal,earthenware, or any other suitable material, a tray or server composedlof a series of appropriate receptacles in the forms of the variousdishes usually required to set a meal before a person, said receptaclesor dishes being connected together to form a single piece oftable-furniture for the reception of meats, vegetables, condiments,knife, fork, and spoon, cup and saucer, wine-bottle, and the like, saidreceptacles being arranged around another one which forms the plate fromwhich the meal is to be eaten.

The receptacle designed for holding the cup has an arm, 1t, rising fromone side thereof, curved outward, upward, and inward until its upper endcomes over the center of the receptacle, where it is provided with athumb-screw for clamping the inverted saucer upon the top of the cup, toprevent the contents of the latter from spilling out during transmissionto the table, and also to keep the contents warm for a longer period oftime than they would be were the cup left uncovered.

' The knife and fork may be simply laid in a receptacle immediately infront of the plate, or they may he slipped in pockets secured to thetray.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates the plate, aroundwhich the receptacles ordishesBODE FG HI J KLMNand the knife-and-forkreceptacle P are arranged, as shown.

The arm R may be swiveled to the cup-receptacle to turn down when not inuse.

The advantages of the device are apparent. The meal can be placed uponthe tray or server, each receptacle receiving its appropriate portion,the cup of coffee or tea putin its receptacle, covered with the invertedsaucer, and the screw Q turned down to hold them in place, and the mealplaced upon the table before the person for whom it is intended. Thereis less time required in washing this device than washing the number ofseparate dishes represented by it, and, besides, several of the devicesmay be readily carried at one time.

I am aware that a dish comprising three or more food-receptacles, aholder for a cup or wine-glass, and a handle, and designed to be held inthe hand of the user, is not new, but is shown in Patent No. 163,355, ofMay 18, 1875, and such an article I do not claim herein.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As a new article of manufacture, the hereindescribed table-tray ormeal-server for serving a complete meal, consisting of the plate A,around which is arranged a series of dish and other shaped receptaclesfor holding food, seasonings, knife, fork, and spoon, &c., and acup-receptacle provided with a curved arm having a thumb screw,connected or formed together to constitute a single article oftablefurniture, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER W. REID.

Witnesses:

THEO. MUNGEN, J AMEs J. SHEEIIY.

